The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-06-05
MRS. CIGNARALE'S TORTURE.
HER TERRIBLY FEAR OF THE DEATH
WHICM AWAITS HER
The Sympathy which Has Been Awakened
byhor Helpless Condition-Her Days mt the
Tombn-In Gao tho Law IL Carried Out,

byher Helpless uditlon-Her Days mt the
Tombs-In Case tho Law IL Carried Out.
Mrs. Chiara Siso Cignarale who Is under
sentence Of death for the murder OF her hus-
band. suffers more than tho ordinary death
agonles every hour that she lives. III she wore
placed among q thousand women OF her own
class she would be tho last ono that an acute
observer would pick out for o murdeross. She
Is better looking, brighter, and much neater
than the average Italian woman OF the lower
class. She Is not moro than five feet in height
and her weight will not exceed 00pounds. Her
complexion Is sallow her features are small and
regularand her eyes are large. dark and sunken.
During tho worry Of her trial yellow rings grew
around them lIcr hair is black and glossy
with tho peculiar greasy appearance charac-
teristc Of her race. She wears II combed back
from her low. broad forehead, and bound In Q
knot on the back OF hor head. Her hands are
small and bear fowcr marks OF hard work than
one would expect. Sympathy for her forlorn
and almost hopeless situation has won her
many friends who would never have given her
q thought II she had not slain her husband,
Matron Stone OF tho Tombs Is hor best friend,
and spends many hours in trying to cheer her.
Mrs. Cignarale was sitting In tho matr9ns
room tho other day when n reporter for THB
Sun called. She was moro cheerful than
usual. for tho company Of the cheerful Matron
and ' extended her hand to him with Q graceful
that hung in w win folds about her slight
form. A neckerchief Of II yollowsh hue was
Y am glad to see that you are more hopeful
said n low tones. shs placed her small hands
d dSSps hfs ReGf ss & n0n
II wouldn't bring anybody in here that
Warden 1rWIS aisS k k2M 'ou sa'a
" Mrs. cisnarnie Nodded, and faint smile
notta understanda ali,n she said.
must Is s nJns Tor Sd the
she h said sPsve eF Then She rose
and bado the reporter good-by, shaking hands
with him r ssap bna Ee1 SIN G6 Ma @
as Warden Walsh has charge OF her, .conflne;
ment He sneaks 81 her as poor litt hn soul
The, cell that the unfortunate woman occupies
is S qR the tbn tier sSba hs e11nss
q the size 0Dlsns Ana The Is ee IT,
Of stone Tags and the fSrnituro Consists s ola
small iron cot. On the wall opposite tho cot
a%s Holy Ssn and cR
and ST. John. When Mrs. Cfgnaralo is in her
cell during her waking hours she spends he, her
picture In rapt alteration, or in Eneelfng. upon
the stone floor nd her beads
marrow corridor under thS Mateh1l i, sye
privilege. but sits upon her cot.with hcr elbows
upon her knees . and I. her face buried in her
low heartrendng means. Her days are full Of
torture. and they are longer, than they would
S she could get &c sep she needs
breakfast. She always shows 2 profound in;
and mix is what she usunliy asks for,
R0PPnG Fat brch De
street, who WAS tho chief comforter OF the MUIR
derer, Balbo, during his last, hours, calls upon
praying and talking with her, ct other times
he escorts her to the private office OF Mntron
Hs ols hSs I hsr Sa
he es day sGe bsp By
Ours pursn aH . who holds, sunday service
Visits her frequently Tie Rev. Messrs HEATH
and Low. Protestant cergymen from Mrs.
call 9sps1
ut III @e Warden s Walsh, He Knows Whom sho t.
through the Iron bars OF her cell.
at aps mE ali OF tas
though she has, given up all attempts to starve
her BODY so fra that Il viii be Strange she
lives to go to tho ,gallows Frequently during
tho 'I people she knew in LittIo italy or. among
parts Of the Hf city sp calls Upon her She never
sees familiar face except those that have
pespe all hHe her h 3 In
she seems to be in great fear that people viii
child that IS in a convent. and when It Is Ger;
probably be allowed to visit her.
All those who haye seen and talked with Mrs.
teribe SCENE Il sho is Hanged s She IS en-
tireiy, devoid OF nerve, Her eyes are red with
Msfyn IN an morens
treasures her. but all the time. whether she is
sg her s s o9e Is th
torture to her Warden Waish and and Fathers
her and teach her to view the future calmly,
but any reference to her approaching execu:
fear. She places her hands before her eyes
and cries and means.
how young sho was when she was married to
A1tGnoi She 81 sr 6n,
husband in March 1886. Antonio D, Andrea,
the man with whom sho was living when she
She Maintains that She lived With HIM only be-
cause she was afraid I'd. Of f her husband h., tn.
i;Ee Il and go nickcd in nrecarions vny NV bS
backing shoes. She lived with him in Forsyth
street before she went to Little Italy to live
with DAndrea.
Mrs Cignarale freely confesses to having
killed her husband. Many, times since she, was
convicted, a week ago Friday, has she told the
story OF how her husband called at D'Andrea's
rooms after tho latter had gone TO work and
revolver and following him up First avenue and
killing him. She tells NIL this stolidly enough.
but after, she has told it and come to thi
scene OF tho trial then she breaks down and
weeps as though her heart would break.
1t Is hard for Warden Walsh to follow strictly
the usual prison rules In regard to this un.
fortunate woman. When her cell door islocked
al sundown she falls upon her cot and means
herself to slocp Tho other prisoners have the
utmost sympathy for her, and many arc the
inquiries, they make in regard TO her. HoI
counsel Howe & Hummel. have not given w
hope and believe they can yet save her and
have her sent to prison for life which is the
sentence she would have received II she had
the second degree